How to Set up a Workspace in Avid

With Avid being as ergonomic as it is, it is a good idea for you to
learn how to set up a workspace. You do not need to continuously
readjust your windows.

Step 1: Toolsets

The first thing to be familiar with is your toolsets. Go up to the
"Toolsets" drop down and take some time to browse through your options.
Each of these offers a specific group of windows to help you with
certain tasks. These layouts will always be available to you through
this menu. However, you may want to move some windows around to better
accommodate your preferences, and it would be frustrating if you had to
do this every time you changed toolsets.

Step 2: Workspaces

Go to your project window and click on the "Settings" tab. Scroll
down all the way to the bottom. You should see a selection called
"Workspace". For now, you only have one, however, you can create several
more. Right click where it says "Workspace" and select "Duplicate".
Another workspace should appear immediately below the first one. If you
click slightly off to the right of the word, you should awaken an edit
box. Here, type a name for your workspace so that you can easily
remember it. Do so to the first one as well. It is a good idea to start
each name with a number since Avid will sort these
alphabetically/numerically. Why this is important will become obvious in
step 4.

Step 3: Saving a Workspace

You will know which workspace you are in based on which one is
checked. Pick the workspace that you want to save and make any
adjustments to the windows that you would like. Remember that however
you arrange them will be how they appear the next time you use this
workspace. Now, go back to the project window and double click on the
selected workspace. A small dialogue box will appear. Here you
should make sure that "Manually Update this Workspace" is selected. This
is preferable over the "Continually" option so that you can have
control over what is being saved. Now go ahead and click "Save Workspace
Now".

Step 4: Keyboard Shortcuts

Go to your project window which should still be in the "Settings"
tab. Go up to "Keyboard" and double click it. You will notice that there
are a few keys that hold functions not outlined by your stickers.
Notice that F2, F3 and F4 are set to W1, W2 and W3. As you may have
guessed, "W" stands for "Workspace", and if you hit any of these keys,
you will command Avid to bring up the corresponding workspace. This is
when the labeling method from step 2 becomes important. Workspace 1 will
be whichever one is alphabetically or numerically first. If you have
more than three workspaces, you can manually set the rest of them to
unused keys.

Creating a customized workspace can make your editing experience much
easier based on your personal preferences. Avid provides you with many
tools to make this happen.